I feel that it is necessary that I re-introduce myself as I have been missing as a Walsh blogger for awhile. My name is Eric Nevins and I just entered my fourth year at The Walsh University. You know what that means right? Indeed, it is almost over and I’m glad about it! I want to apologize to all of the readers for neglecting you all for the first three weeks of the semester, once again I had to learn to make adjustments and find balance in my life. It is important that we find some sort of balance in our lives or we will experience much stress and anxiety.

The other day while going through my timeline on Twitter I came across a tweet that read like this “Good grades, enough sleep, a social life….you can pick two!” At first glance I chuckled and continued down my “TL” but then that tweet got to messing with my psyche. As college students, is it really impossible for one to enjoy all three- good grades, enough sleep, and a social life? I begin to assess my own life and in my personal opinion one cannot have all three simultaneously.I tried searching for an idea with solutions to prove one could operate in all three yet, I was still defeated in my quest. Some how students end up choosing the two that are most important to them at the moment. You will find that the three will become important to different people at different times in their lives. So truthfully no one person can dictate to another which a person should choose.

What we as individual students should remember is to be balanced! Each of the three are vital to who we are as people. Some of us like to have a good time with friends but maintaining a certain GPA is also important as well so as a result we’ll have a lack of sleep. If you want you could even throw in the fact that many of us have jobs so our lack of sleep is increased at a greater level. It is important that we look at ourselves and find a balance so that we can remain healthy. If you don’t find that balance among the three- good study habits, enough sleep, and a healthy lesiure activity of your choice, then you put yourself in danger of being unhealthy. Being unhealthy is more than just a physical thing, if you deprive yourself of “fun” activities you will become stressed and overwhelmed. This is tried and true, if one does not find that balance they will soon regret it because they will find themselves crushed under a rock of depression and filled with a heavy load of stress.

So I say to find your balance! Do what you have to do when you need to do it! Whether it be grades and fun or fun and sleep make the right decision at the right times. Upon doing that you will find yourself living a healthy and fulfilling life!

Ahhhh!!!! Ever felt like things just were not working out for you. Things constantly changing when you want to remain constant. Plans changing, people changing, ideas changing, and you are still wanting to stay in your comfort zone. This is what the first week has been like for me but I’m learning to make the adjustments.

As you may recall, I spent the fall semester in Rome, Italy. Before we left for Rome there was training on dealing with cultrual shock and reverse cultrual shock, which we were expected to have. Going to Rome and making the neccessary adjustments was very easy and I really do not feel as if I experienced “Culture Shock.” However, returning home was a completely different experience. I still have not completely adjusted to being back in America and on top of that I have to readjust to being a “traditional” student again.

I honestly can say that I am no longer a fan of being the “traditional” student but I’m making the neccessary adjustments. Training myself to get used to being in class after class again. At times its challenging but I’m learning that if one can adjust to the situations thing would be easier for them. I’ve learned to embrace every challenge in my life by creating strategies to deal with them and simply adjusting to the change.

I encourage you today to cease your frustations and simply adjust to the situation. Adjustment is not giving up on your goals and desires. I believe adjusment is taking a step back and seeing other strategies to achieve your desired outcomes. Upon realizing those other strategies one must apply them to see the results that are desired. So simply make the neccessary adjustments and carry on with life!

What did you expect? A party? A dunk tank? Games? Well that’s exactly what I thought I was going to get when I arrived. Well actually yes that is exactly what I expected. Seriously, what do you normally think when people say festival? However, this festival was quite different. It was held in honor of the patron saint of Castel Gandolfo. Though the Feast of San Sebastian is marked on the calendar as January 20 the people of this town tend to celebrate this festival the first weekend in September. To be honest this was my first festival that honored a saint so it was quite interesting to watch everything take place.

San Sebastian was a Christian who was martyred during the Emperor Diocletian persecution of Christians. People often believe that he was shot to death with arrows but actually he survived the arrows and was later beaten to death.

At home when I attend festival I’m used to being immersed in colorful lights, great snacks such as hot pretzels, funnel cakes, cotton candy and more. When I greeted this festival in the beginning everyone just stood standing around nothing was really happening or nothing really captured my attention. I was able to catch the tail end of a procession inside of the church were a service was held to honor the San Sebastian. After walking around to see some of the lights hanging to distinguish that it was an important day I felt disappointment because I felt like there had to be more. Certainly, it had to be more this was the Patron Saint. I guess it was kind of selfish on my part because I’m so used to having the works at festivals.

As I was grabbing some ice cream to ease my disappointment suddenly there was a recessional that flowed from the church filled with people of the Catholic Church. Maybe it’s just me but I really like seeing the catholic ministers (pope, cardinals, and priests) and nuns in their attire. I think that cassocks are absolutely beautiful. Then, it got even better there was a band that was setting up to perform a concert. I was sort of upset because there were no strings and I have a certain fascination for strings but since I like all instruments it was truly an enjoyable experience. Finally, I begin to feel as though I was at a festival because in the background you could hear the children laughing and playing in the background.

Though the feast of San Sebastian was not what I expected it to be the beginning it most certainly was a time well spent. I the idea of honoring saints is entirely new to me but I glad that this time I was able to share that day with the people of Castel Gandolfo. I was able to learn some new facts about the Catholic Church and Saint Sebastian that I will be able to keep for the rest of my life

I don’t even know where to begin…let me think? It is just so hard to even talk about Rome, not because there is nothing to talk about but because there is so much to talk about. Last weekend I spent a few days in Venice and it was beautiful. From the glass blowers of Murano, to all the lace and jewelry of Burano, and even the Church of Saint Mark it was all so exciting. Due to miscommunications some of the students and our professor got to see the night life of Venice. The Islands are usually full of people everywhere but on this particular night there was but a hand full of people out and we had to figure out how to get back to our hotel all by ourselves. Talk about an adventure, it was full of confusion and laughter but it proved to be the best time spent in Venice.

This week Rome continued to unfold itself to the students. We visited the Villa Medici, the French Academy in Rome, and from there you can view all of Rome. We also visited Castel Sant’Angelo which first was the mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian and it later became a home to a few Popes. It is believed that the ArchAngel Michael was once seen on top of the mausoleum and thus its name Castel Sant’Angelo. In the latter part of the week we visited the Holy Steps. The Holy Steps are supposedly some steps that have the blood of Christ on them. The blood dropped on them as Christ went before Pontius Pilate. Helen the mother of Constantine brought them to Rome for her son. It is held as tradition that people climb the stairs on their knees to remember the Passion of the Christ. I was able to participate and let me just say it was an awesome and humbling experience that I will never ever forget.

As you can see Rome has so much to offer. There is something here for every person you just have to be willing to discover it. I think I’m enjoying the spiritual things Rome is offering more than its natural history. Though I am not Catholic, I am a Christian, and to be able to be in a place that is filled with things such as the Holy Steps and many other makes me love Rome so much more. It just keeps on giving!

I’ve been reflecting back on my time here in Rome and it just leaves me speechless. The Flavin Amphitheatre, the Roman Forum, Capitoline Hill, its mind blowing. Yesterday while visiting the Palazzo dei conservatori, out of all the things I seen a huge wall of bricks captured my attention. Those bricks are the remains of Jupiter’s temple from ancient Rome. The most amazing thing about those remains is the fact that it was not even a fourth of the temple of Jupiter. The temple was ruined by the Popes because it was a pagan temple; however, I do wish that they would have just converted the temple because it would be extraordinary to have this ancient Roman Temple still standing.

As I viewed Rome in front of me, I began to realize that this place is larger than life. I say this because nothing here is what I would consider to be normal size. The buildings, the stores, and the houses have all been built in the most complicated and the most grand way possible. I love it! It makes Rome what Rome is. Although there is a distinction from the ancient Romans to present day Romans, I have come to the conclusion that every Roman just wants to leave the impression on this world. I cannot be mad at them for wanting to leave their mark, who wouldn’t? I can truly promise you that I will certainly be leaving my mark on the world! The world will know that Eric D. Nevins, Jr existed and he impacted our way of life!

Before I go I just would like to send a prayer request out to all of my readers! This past week one of my fellow classmates lost her father. We have done our best to support here and shower her with love and concern. Sunday we had a celebration of life to honor her father in the Gazebo here on campus. It was very beautiful and my classmate really appreciated the kind gesture. Please continue to pray for her and I suggest to you if your father is still alive and well cherish him and give him all the love and appreciation he deserves!

It brings me great pleasure writing this post for many reasons; 1. This is my first year as a blogger for Walsh University, 2. This is my very first blog, and 3. I’m blogging all the way for Rome! Yes, thats right Rome! How exciting is that?

I’ve never been one to be excited about going back to school with all the books, studying, dorm life, and not to mention mono-tone professors. However, this semester has brought such an interest and I’m very excited about being in school. Who really wouldn’t be excited about studying in Rome? Although I know that I am currently studying in Rome the realization has not yet come. I feel like I’m dreaming or maybe I’m just living a dream. (Global Learning Advertisment- If you have ever thought about studying abroad anywhere I encourage you to go, go,go, GO!)

I would like to leave you with this thought that continously runs across my mind. “You are not the only thing that exist.” The thought developed as I realized yes I have read about Rome and heard about it as well but it didn’t become real to me until I seen it for myself. You are only a tiny grain of sand when there is a whole seashore full.